Hybrid Work Is Not the Problem - Poor Leadership Is

"The pattern is familiar: CEOs return from a peer gathering convinced that really getting everyone back to the office will solve productivity concerns, cultural disconnection, and competitive pressures. They've heard anecdotes about disengaged employees who are not complying with the return-to-office (RTO) mandates that have been put in place, and they're ready to order stricter rules when it comes to office attendance."

"What's both fascinating and frustrating about these conversations is that these leaders are fixated on the wrong problem. They're treating hybrid work as a policy challenge. It's not! It's a leadership capability challenge. While they debate cranking up in-office days per week and what punishments they might use to threaten employees, other companies, including their competitors, are paying a lot less attention to whether teams collaborate from home, the office, or anywhere in between, and are building an organizational strength that drives superior business results."

Leaders fixate on mandating four or five office days, treating hybrid work as a policy problem to enforce attendance. Effective organizations treat hybrid work as a leadership capability, measuring outcomes instead of physical presence. Successful companies reward team performance, provide autonomy, invest in collaboration tools, and redesign office spaces to support teamwork. Mandating in-office days and punitive measures risks missing underlying issues of team performance, engagement, and organizational design. Competitors who prioritize results, autonomy, and supportive infrastructure generate superior business outcomes regardless of where employees collaborate.

Read at MIT Sloan Management Review